Tetouan
Tetouan is a large bustling city with a population of approx 330,000 people. It has a large high street comprising of large grand old Spanish style buildings. At the end of the High Street you will find the large and impressive King’s Palace. The right and left of the King’s Palace you will find the entrances to the Medina. The UNESCO listed Medina is a fascinating labyrinth of narrow passages alleyways that house hundreds of small shops and workshops where you can watch craftsmen make leather goods, mother of pearl inlaid wood furniture, carve marble and beat copper into intricate plates and teapots etc. It can be entered by one of the seven magnificently sculpted gateways that cut through the ramparts of the Medina . Throughout your visit to the Medina you will be surrounded by the aromatic smell of mint tea, leather and spices.
For more information and history on Tetouan and it's facinating Medina visit Tetouanasmir.org.
Inside Medina in Tetouan
M’Diq
(sometimes referred to as Rincon, it’s old Spanish name)
Promenade at M'Diq
M’Diq was once a quite, dusty little town on the way to Tetouan. It has in the last couple of years had quite a facelift, with a large seafront promenade where you can sit and enjoy a mint tea and watch the world go by. The shops are not particularly exciting, but are an ideal place to get all you essentials such as groceries, fruit and vegetable, meat and fish (come early to the fish market for the best quality fish, straight off the boats from the newly built small fishing port found to the south of the beach).
M’Diq has some wonderful little cafes and restaurants where, although they are only fairly basic to look at, you can get very tasty dishes such as Tagines, Couscous and fabulous fresh fish and seafood platters that won’t cost you the earth. There are also a few quality fish restaurants to be found actually in the Fishing Port.
On the way to M’Diq you will pass the large Smir Aqua Park and just as you enter M’Diq you will find the new aquarium that should be completed in the summer of 2008. As you drive through M’Diq and heading towards Tetouan, you will find the large and very useful Marjane Hypermarket on your left hand side. Here you will find all your shopping needs will be satisfied.
Chefchaouen
On the road Fez, after about an hour of traveling from Tetouan through stunning scenery of mountains and rivers you will see the whitewashed town of Chefchaouen nestled on the side of a mountain. The low rise buildings in this tranquil and calm town are completely painted white or pale blue and have beautiful blue doors. For more information please visit the Chefchaouen tourist information website http://www.chaouen.info/in-index.html |